Discussion
I've searched but there's not a massive amount of topics regarding the CRZ.
I currently have a Peugeot RCZ and considering a Crz next. I know they have a bit of a cult following in Japan but don't receive particularly favourable reviews.
What are peoples experiences? I want something sporty and fun but with reduced running costs vs the RCZ. My commute is 15 miles but due to stop start traffic can take as long as an hour. I average 30mpg in the RCZ; hoping a CRZ would get me low 40s?
Ive heard CRZs described as a better mini cooper or better handling than the FN2 Type R but then equally slated for poor handling.
What are peoples views and opinions?
Thanks
I currently have a Peugeot RCZ and considering a Crz next. I know they have a bit of a cult following in Japan but don't receive particularly favourable reviews.
What are peoples experiences? I want something sporty and fun but with reduced running costs vs the RCZ. My commute is 15 miles but due to stop start traffic can take as long as an hour. I average 30mpg in the RCZ; hoping a CRZ would get me low 40s?
Ive heard CRZs described as a better mini cooper or better handling than the FN2 Type R but then equally slated for poor handling.
What are peoples views and opinions?
Thanks
Sorry all I hadn't checked back for replies.
Thank you Elesmart for taking the time to write that reply!
Very useful info and answered a lot of questions I had.
I saw your car (online) when it was up for sale. I do like the paint job; was that factory?
I drove a 2014 CRZ sport a couple of days ago and was very impressed. It was over budget but as The Don is finding they are hard to come across and it was the closest around by about 40 miles.
First impressions; admittedly the driving seat was in it's lowest position but even so i was suprised by how low it felt as I sat down. I could be wrong but the seating position felt lower than that in my RCZ.
Pulling out of and riding over the bumps in the forecourt the car felt impressively tight and much sportier/stiffly sprung than I thought it would but not uncomfortably so.
Yes it was the 2014 model so had the extra power vs the pre facelift models but it did feel quicker than the numbers would suggest. I played around with the econ/normal/sport modes but couldn't notice much difference - I was swapping between them whilst cruising along at a constant speed as opposed to stopping and accelerating which is probably why.
The gear shift was short and well weighted if a little notchy when actually putting it in gear but less notchy than my RCZ.
I only threw the car enthusiastically into one roundabout but it immediately reminded me of my R50 mini cooper. The front end just felt like it would grip and grip and there was very little body roll.
I'm also one for driving around at 9/10ths most of the time but I think the gear shift indicator and colour changing dials (I.e. green for driving efficiently) will help put a stop to that.
One strange observation is that my hands started aching after 15 minutes or so; I've only ever heard it mentioned once before (on an amateur YouTube review) but I don't know if it's the shape of the wheel? I'd hope once you are used to it it would no longer be a problem?
I also noticed the wind/road noise even at 40mph but to be fair my RCZ is quite quiet and makes for a great GT.
Anyway I was left suitably impressed and will no doubt get one when the right one comes up for sale.
Thank you Elesmart for taking the time to write that reply!
Very useful info and answered a lot of questions I had.
I saw your car (online) when it was up for sale. I do like the paint job; was that factory?
I drove a 2014 CRZ sport a couple of days ago and was very impressed. It was over budget but as The Don is finding they are hard to come across and it was the closest around by about 40 miles.
First impressions; admittedly the driving seat was in it's lowest position but even so i was suprised by how low it felt as I sat down. I could be wrong but the seating position felt lower than that in my RCZ.
Pulling out of and riding over the bumps in the forecourt the car felt impressively tight and much sportier/stiffly sprung than I thought it would but not uncomfortably so.
Yes it was the 2014 model so had the extra power vs the pre facelift models but it did feel quicker than the numbers would suggest. I played around with the econ/normal/sport modes but couldn't notice much difference - I was swapping between them whilst cruising along at a constant speed as opposed to stopping and accelerating which is probably why.
The gear shift was short and well weighted if a little notchy when actually putting it in gear but less notchy than my RCZ.
I only threw the car enthusiastically into one roundabout but it immediately reminded me of my R50 mini cooper. The front end just felt like it would grip and grip and there was very little body roll.
I'm also one for driving around at 9/10ths most of the time but I think the gear shift indicator and colour changing dials (I.e. green for driving efficiently) will help put a stop to that.
One strange observation is that my hands started aching after 15 minutes or so; I've only ever heard it mentioned once before (on an amateur YouTube review) but I don't know if it's the shape of the wheel? I'd hope once you are used to it it would no longer be a problem?
I also noticed the wind/road noise even at 40mph but to be fair my RCZ is quite quiet and makes for a great GT.
Anyway I was left suitably impressed and will no doubt get one when the right one comes up for sale.
Elesmart said:
Hello,
I have very recently purchased one of these CRZ's, so feel like I can provide you with some details.
I was looking for another car to join my fleet which would provide decent MPG, be a little different from the usual cars you see on the road and, most importantly, remain fun to drive. the CRZ doesn't seem to get much love here in the UK. Mainly because people spend too much time looking at the performance statistics which, in my opinion, is really missing the point of this car.
Firstly, the negatives:
- The interior is absolutely tiny. Space for the driver and passenger is good. The rear seats are hopeless, even for children. you really need to consider this as a 2 seater, which should be fine for you considering you're coming from a RCZ
- It's never going to win power / 0-60 runs. Around 10 seconds to 60 isn't great in today's world and it may feel a little sluggish in comparison to your RCZ. But, as mentioned above, this isn't a 0-60 / top speed kind of car.
- Long journeys give me backache. There isn't much in the way of seat adjustment. Occasionally, I'll use the car for a 130 mile motorway journey to visit parents. My lower back does begin to ache nearing the end of the journey. It's the only time I notice it, but if you do long miles for a long period it is worth noting.
-Centre arm rest. Mots CRZ's don't come with a centre arm rest. this was something which I made sure mine has, as it does make a vast difference to comfort levels on longer journeys.
- The hybrid system doesn't really work for economy - the CRZ will never run off electric power alone and the batteries are there to give the little 1.5 the additional boost which is needs. Needless to say, if you're careful you can actually beat the claimed MPG figures which Honda provide for this car. There is an econ mode, but you will think the car is broken when using it. Everything is so numb and I appear to get less mpg in econ than I do in normal mode.
- Boot space is shallow due to the batteries. It's not ridiculously small, but it isn't large. Most people fold the back seats down permanently. I choose not to do this for 2 reasons. 1: Cabin noise is increased with the seats down. 2: The rear seat belt cannot be buckled with the seats down and the belt covers the cooling vents for the batteries. It's probably not an issue and something which Honda considered. I however, do not like the idea of covering the vents and over heating the battery pack.
- Wind noise. On the motorway, road and wind noise is noisy. I've got 2 very noisy cars in my fleet and whilst the Honda is silent to them in comparison, wind noise at speed is very noticeable.
-Rear visibility. Not the best (especially at oblique junctions). Reversing is fine, as the car ends at the rear window.
All minor negatives, but useful information when considering buying.
Positives:
- Fun! First and foremost, this is such a fun little car. From the way the doors open with the strange door handles, to the funky dashboard which never gets old, right down to the way this thing drives. It is light, has a great chassis which allows you to carry way more speed into your favourite bend on your local b road than it should be able to. Sport mode really gives the car a fantastic boost. Dare I say it, for what the car is, it even sounds good in sport mode. Even with the batteries on board this is quite a light car (1250 KG's if I remember correctly).
- Cost to run. £20 a year tax (but be warned, 2013 onwards are £110 thanks to the 17 inch alloys adding to the weight and Co2's), insurance is the cheapest I have ever experienced on a car ever. Servicing is simple and cheap, parts are cheap and you have the guaranteed Honda reliability. £40 to fill the tank and I am getting around 400 miles from a mixture of all sorts of driving.
- Seating position. Ignoring the backache on long journeys above, the seating position is fantastic. You sit low in the cabin with a very clear set of dials in front of you with great visibility out of the front half of the car.
-It feels so much quicker than the stats suggest. I can't say this enough. It really feels quicker than what all of the stats suggest. I think Honda were conservative with their figures. e-g. The owners manual states that 2nd gear can only do a maximum of 57mph. I know for a fact that mine will do 62....
- Unique. This car is pretty unique, rare and unconventional in the UK. As a result, a lot of people do not know what it is.
-The 3 settings. Econ mode is rubbish. It numbs the car in every way possible. I use normal or sport only. both of these give the car such different characteristics. econ mode and sport is like night and day.
- The stereo is very good. Especially if you get one with the additional sub woofer in the boot (which doesn't appear to use up any space).
Features. This car has some fun features which I've not seen on a car before. I'll leave them for you to find out, if you choose to purchase one.
I could keep going on, but you get the idea that I enjoy this car. However, it is not my only car and I feel I would get frustrated if it was my only form of transport. For contrast, I also have a 2005 Subaru Legacy 3.0 and a 1992 Toyota MR2 Turbo.
All models have a good spec. Sport appears to be the most popular, which gives you parking sensors and cruise control. a sport is what I wanted, but I found a base 'S' model within my price range which was better than any other Sport model which I had seen. I thought I would miss cruise control and parking sensors but, to this day, I haven't yet. But I'll repeat, I have other cars which I usually do the motorway jaunts with.
A lot of people say that the IMA runs out of juice way too quickly. In the 4 weeks and 1000 miles I've done in my car I've not once ran out of battery assist. It is important to understand how the IMA works though, making sure that the batteries are being topped up at every given opportunity. This system works a little like KERS in F1 and regenerates via braking or coming off the throttle, allowing the kinetic energy to be stored in the battery pack. Don't go coasting your CRZ with the clutch depressed. It will not regenerate. Learn how the battery restores energy and you will never run out of back up.
As an example, on Christmas Day I went for a real hooligan drive in my CRZ. I completely wrung its little neck and had an absolute blast whilst being completely legal in the process. 60 miles of hard driving and I never ran out of IMA. You just need to understand it and work with it.
A couple of dodgy photo's of mine. Please excuse the awful low res. They are all I have to hand. I chose mine due to the condition, history and the super rare colour combination (I cannot find another one like it).
Mileage doesn't seem to be an issue with these and if anything, the IMA prefers being used than sat on a driveway. Mine has 54K on the clock and the battery pack appears to be working exactly as it should and doesn't seem to have any problems (or showing sign of future failure).
I've also just noticed your information about commuting. The stop start works well in the CRZ and if you use the different modes correctly you can see 40MPG+ on your type of commute. I reset the 2nd trip on mine the day I bought it and over 1000 miles of mainly city driving, the odd winter weekend blast and a couple of motorway trips I am averaging 48.2.
You're selling your CRZ? What prompted the sale? I have very recently purchased one of these CRZ's, so feel like I can provide you with some details.
I was looking for another car to join my fleet which would provide decent MPG, be a little different from the usual cars you see on the road and, most importantly, remain fun to drive. the CRZ doesn't seem to get much love here in the UK. Mainly because people spend too much time looking at the performance statistics which, in my opinion, is really missing the point of this car.
Firstly, the negatives:
- The interior is absolutely tiny. Space for the driver and passenger is good. The rear seats are hopeless, even for children. you really need to consider this as a 2 seater, which should be fine for you considering you're coming from a RCZ
- It's never going to win power / 0-60 runs. Around 10 seconds to 60 isn't great in today's world and it may feel a little sluggish in comparison to your RCZ. But, as mentioned above, this isn't a 0-60 / top speed kind of car.
- Long journeys give me backache. There isn't much in the way of seat adjustment. Occasionally, I'll use the car for a 130 mile motorway journey to visit parents. My lower back does begin to ache nearing the end of the journey. It's the only time I notice it, but if you do long miles for a long period it is worth noting.
-Centre arm rest. Mots CRZ's don't come with a centre arm rest. this was something which I made sure mine has, as it does make a vast difference to comfort levels on longer journeys.
- The hybrid system doesn't really work for economy - the CRZ will never run off electric power alone and the batteries are there to give the little 1.5 the additional boost which is needs. Needless to say, if you're careful you can actually beat the claimed MPG figures which Honda provide for this car. There is an econ mode, but you will think the car is broken when using it. Everything is so numb and I appear to get less mpg in econ than I do in normal mode.
- Boot space is shallow due to the batteries. It's not ridiculously small, but it isn't large. Most people fold the back seats down permanently. I choose not to do this for 2 reasons. 1: Cabin noise is increased with the seats down. 2: The rear seat belt cannot be buckled with the seats down and the belt covers the cooling vents for the batteries. It's probably not an issue and something which Honda considered. I however, do not like the idea of covering the vents and over heating the battery pack.
- Wind noise. On the motorway, road and wind noise is noisy. I've got 2 very noisy cars in my fleet and whilst the Honda is silent to them in comparison, wind noise at speed is very noticeable.
-Rear visibility. Not the best (especially at oblique junctions). Reversing is fine, as the car ends at the rear window.
All minor negatives, but useful information when considering buying.
Positives:
- Fun! First and foremost, this is such a fun little car. From the way the doors open with the strange door handles, to the funky dashboard which never gets old, right down to the way this thing drives. It is light, has a great chassis which allows you to carry way more speed into your favourite bend on your local b road than it should be able to. Sport mode really gives the car a fantastic boost. Dare I say it, for what the car is, it even sounds good in sport mode. Even with the batteries on board this is quite a light car (1250 KG's if I remember correctly).
- Cost to run. £20 a year tax (but be warned, 2013 onwards are £110 thanks to the 17 inch alloys adding to the weight and Co2's), insurance is the cheapest I have ever experienced on a car ever. Servicing is simple and cheap, parts are cheap and you have the guaranteed Honda reliability. £40 to fill the tank and I am getting around 400 miles from a mixture of all sorts of driving.
- Seating position. Ignoring the backache on long journeys above, the seating position is fantastic. You sit low in the cabin with a very clear set of dials in front of you with great visibility out of the front half of the car.
-It feels so much quicker than the stats suggest. I can't say this enough. It really feels quicker than what all of the stats suggest. I think Honda were conservative with their figures. e-g. The owners manual states that 2nd gear can only do a maximum of 57mph. I know for a fact that mine will do 62....
- Unique. This car is pretty unique, rare and unconventional in the UK. As a result, a lot of people do not know what it is.
-The 3 settings. Econ mode is rubbish. It numbs the car in every way possible. I use normal or sport only. both of these give the car such different characteristics. econ mode and sport is like night and day.
- The stereo is very good. Especially if you get one with the additional sub woofer in the boot (which doesn't appear to use up any space).
Features. This car has some fun features which I've not seen on a car before. I'll leave them for you to find out, if you choose to purchase one.
I could keep going on, but you get the idea that I enjoy this car. However, it is not my only car and I feel I would get frustrated if it was my only form of transport. For contrast, I also have a 2005 Subaru Legacy 3.0 and a 1992 Toyota MR2 Turbo.
All models have a good spec. Sport appears to be the most popular, which gives you parking sensors and cruise control. a sport is what I wanted, but I found a base 'S' model within my price range which was better than any other Sport model which I had seen. I thought I would miss cruise control and parking sensors but, to this day, I haven't yet. But I'll repeat, I have other cars which I usually do the motorway jaunts with.
A lot of people say that the IMA runs out of juice way too quickly. In the 4 weeks and 1000 miles I've done in my car I've not once ran out of battery assist. It is important to understand how the IMA works though, making sure that the batteries are being topped up at every given opportunity. This system works a little like KERS in F1 and regenerates via braking or coming off the throttle, allowing the kinetic energy to be stored in the battery pack. Don't go coasting your CRZ with the clutch depressed. It will not regenerate. Learn how the battery restores energy and you will never run out of back up.
As an example, on Christmas Day I went for a real hooligan drive in my CRZ. I completely wrung its little neck and had an absolute blast whilst being completely legal in the process. 60 miles of hard driving and I never ran out of IMA. You just need to understand it and work with it.
A couple of dodgy photo's of mine. Please excuse the awful low res. They are all I have to hand. I chose mine due to the condition, history and the super rare colour combination (I cannot find another one like it).
Mileage doesn't seem to be an issue with these and if anything, the IMA prefers being used than sat on a driveway. Mine has 54K on the clock and the battery pack appears to be working exactly as it should and doesn't seem to have any problems (or showing sign of future failure).
I've also just noticed your information about commuting. The stop start works well in the CRZ and if you use the different modes correctly you can see 40MPG+ on your type of commute. I reset the 2nd trip on mine the day I bought it and over 1000 miles of mainly city driving, the odd winter weekend blast and a couple of motorway trips I am averaging 48.2.
Edited by Elesmart on Thursday 27th December 11:48
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